Delhi High Court dismisses plea against election of Chirag Paswan as Lok Sabha

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday dismissed a plea challenging Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) president Chirag Paswan's election from the Hajipur Lok Sabha seat, stating it lacked jurisdiction as the election was held in Bihar. 

Justice Amit Bansal said since the election was held in Bihar, the high court did not have the power to adjudicate the election petition.

"Accordingly, the election petition is dismissed on the ground of lack of territorial jurisdiction," the court held. The court, however, granted liberty to the petitioner to avail other legal remedies.

What did the petitioner claim?

The petitioner claimed to be a survivor of sexual assault, which was committed at the "insistence" of Prince Raj and his associates, including his cousin Paswan, who did not disclose this "criminal antecedent" at the time of filing his nomination for the polls.

Filing a false affidavit or concealing any information in the affidavit in respect of criminal cases violates Section 125A of the Representation Of the People Act and is punishable with six months imprisonment, she argued.

Advocate Sidhant Kumar, counsel for the Election Commission of India, said the election petition was not maintainable in Delhi in terms of the Representation of People Act as the election was held in Bihar.